Group Discussion
Why do we have group discussion?
Group discussion allows you to exchange information and ideas and gives you the experience of working in a team. In the work place, discussions enable management to draw on the ideas and expertise of staff, and to acknowledge the staff as valued members of a team.
What can I get out of group discussion?
Some advantages of group discussion are:
- Ideas can be generated.
- Ideas can be shared.
- Ideas can be 'tried out'.
- Ideas can be responded to by others.
- When the dynamics are right, groups provide a supportive and nurturing environment for academic and professional endeavour.
- Group discussion skills have many professional applications.
- Working in groups is fun!
Group dynamics
A useful strategy for developing an effective dynamic in your discussion group is to identify task and maintenance roles that members can take up. Here is a list of these roles, and the dialogue that might accompany them in a group discussion about the environmental responsibility of Australian companies.
Positive Task Roles
- Initiator: 'Let's take a local perspective on environmental responsibility. Maybe a fast-food outlet?'
- Information seeker: 'Does anyone know what Bentley Beta Burgers does with its garbage? Does it recycle?'
- Information giver: They won a local government award last year for running an environmentally friendly operation.'
- Procedure facilitator: 'I'll write this down to keep track of our discussion.'
- Opinion seeker: 'Do you think they're really responsible or is it just a bit of good PR?'
- Opinion giver: 'I think it's a combination of the two, but at least they're taking the issue seriously.'
- Clarifier: 'We need to get hold of Betta Burgers' annual report to get a better picture of what they're doing.'
- Summariser: 'O.K. We're taking a local perspective, using Bentley Betta Burgers as our example, and we'll have a look at last year's annual report to see in what way they practiced environmental responsibility.'
Positive Maintenance Roles
These become particularly important as the discussion develops and opposing points of view begin to emerge.
- Social Supporter: 'We're coming up with some good ideas here.'
- Harmoniser: 'Jane and Tsen have looked at the issue from opposing points of view. Let's see if we can take something from both points of view.'
- Tension Reliever: 'This discussion's really dynamic. It's good that we have so many different valid angles on the issue.'
- Energiser: 'Hey, the point that Ahmed made has really got me thinking. Let's explore his idea some more.'
- Compromiser: 'Half the group supports Jane's view and half supports Tsen's. Now we need to formulate a compromise that we can all live with.'
- Gatekeeper: 'How do you feel about the issue, Greg? Your contribution here would be really valuable.'
During an effective group discussion each participant may take up a number of task and maintenance to keep the discussion moving productively.
As well as these positive roles, there are a number of negative roles which are often taken up in group discussion. You should avoid taking up these roles and learn to identify them in other group members. The discussion group may adopt the ground rule that negative role behaviour will be censured by members of the group. Described below are some negative roles to be avoided.
Negative Roles to be Avoided
- Disgruntled non-participant: someone who does not contribute and whose presence inhibits the participation of other group members.
- Attacker: someone who acts aggressively by expressing disapproval of other members and their contributions to the discussion.
- Dominator: someone who takes control of the discussion by talking too much, interrupting other members, or behaving in a patronising way.
- Clown: someone who 'shows off', refuses to take the discussion seriously, or disrupts it with inappropriate humour.
'Task' and 'Maintenance' roles section has been developed from a concept by Judith Dwyer in:
Business Communication:Strategies and Skills 1999, Prentice Hall, Sydney
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Content Last Modified: February 6, 2007
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